“Learning programming is more important than learning English. Because programming languages can reach 7 billion people around the world. “– Tim Cook, Apple CEO
Programming is the foundation and core of the Internet, artificial intelligence and other high and new technologies. At present, it is the cusp of the popularization of computer programming. Whoever can seize this cusp first will take the initiative in the future computer era. Now programming education is gradually popularized, learning programming is of great significance to the growth of children.
● Programming is the foundation of artificial intelligence
“In the future, if your child knows how to code, he will be the creator of the world. If he doesn’t understand, he’s just a user.” We don’t want all kids to be programmers in the future, but we want every kid to have the power to change the world. In the foreseeable future, “programming” will become a basic quality that every educated person must possess, just like Chinese, math and English today. Programming is the foundation of the future era of artificial intelligence.
More and more attention is paid to programming education at home and abroad
Abroad, more than two dozen countries — including Japan, South Korea, and several European countries — have incorporated programming education into the K12 curriculum or teaching scene. In 2017, Zhejiang province issued the Pilot Program of Deepening the Comprehensive Reform of College Examination and Enrollment System in Zhejiang Province, which clearly stipulated that information technology (including programming) should be included in the compulsory subjects of senior high school students. Zhejiang college entrance examination mode is English + three elective tests, information technology is one of them, each 50 points.
● Programming talent shortage good job prospects
Futurologist Kathy Davidson believes that more than 65% of pupils will end up in jobs that do not yet exist. Computer programming is now one of the fastest growing industries and one of the best-paying professions. In the US alone, computer jobs pay more than 75 per cent more than the average. Computer programming is expected to add more than 100,000 jobs by 2020.
● Programming can improve kids’ grades
Programming can transform children from users of games into developers of games, using data to understand, analyze and solve problems. Programming is of great help to the improvement of other subjects, including mathematics and physics. In this process, children’s logical thinking ability, learning ability and attention are improved, which is especially helpful to the construction of thinking in other subjects and also contributes to the improvement of grades.
● Programming teaches kids how to think
Learning programming is the most important to learn programming thinking, programming thinking is the ability to solve problems. Programming thinking seems abstract, but in fact, in life, learning and communication, there is a philosophy of programming thinking mode everywhere, from placing toys to writing homework, to making decisions and discussing business. Programming thinking is an efficient way of thinking to solve problems. It is very helpful for children to cultivate this mode of thinking when they are young. Scientific research shows that the ages of 6 to 12 are the golden age of brain development, when children learn to make the transition from situational perception to logical linkage. So, programming should start from the baby! Algorithmic thinking involves more than just learning to code. It involves solving problems, but it involves learning how to code! This book teaches computational and algorithmic thinking on the assumption that the reader knows nothing about computer programming!
There is no doubt that Python is a very popular programming language. Not only has a very wide range of applications, but also because of the low learning threshold, suitable for primary and secondary school students and teenagers to learn advanced programming.
Learning Python for Teens is an introduction to Python programming for teens. By Aristide. Aristides S. Boras holds a degree in computer Engineering from the Institute of Technical Education, Piraeus, and a degree in electrical and computer engineering from The University of Democritus, Thrace. He has many years of experience in software development and is currently a high school teacher teaching computer networking courses, Internet/Intranet programming tools and database courses. Loukia v.Ainarozidou holds a degree in computer Engineering from the Institute of Technical Education, Piraeus, and a degree in electrical and computer engineering from The University of Democritus, Thrace. She is now a high school teacher, teaching computer networking, computer programming and digital design. The book is computation-oriented and algorithmic thinking training. Starting with the working principles of computers and the fundamentals of algorithms, it introduces the basics of Python programming in detail, and then introduces more advanced topics such as data structures, procedural programming, and object-oriented programming. Full color printing, detailed explanation, teaching and fun, with teaching guidance video, focus on programming thinking training, more than 250 judgment questions, 100 multiple choice questions and 100 review questions, learning while practicing, can help readers firmly grasp the knowledge. Suitable for anyone who wants to start learning or teaching computer programming using the right habits and techniques, especially for children over the age of 10 or their parents and teachers. Sample code and problem sets for this book can be downloaded from the Asynchronous Community (www.epubit.com). The scratch-off card at the back of the book also provides free access to the accompanying tutorial video. ● How does a computer work
Nowadays, almost every job requires a computer. At school, students use computers to search the Internet and send emails. At work, people use computers to produce reports, analyze data and communicate with customers; At home, people use computers to play games, connect to social networks and chat with people all over the world. And of course, don’t forget smartphones, like the iPhone. Smartphones are computers too!
Computers can perform so many different tasks because they are programmed. In other words, a computer can do whatever a program tells it to do. A program is a set of statements (often called instructions or commands) followed by a computer to perform a particular task.
The program is essential to the computer. Without a program, the computer becomes a fool, unable to do anything. In effect, the program tells the computer what to do and when to do it. Programmers, on the other hand, design, create, and test computer programs.
This book introduces the basic concepts of computer programming in Python.
● What is hardware
The term “hardware” refers to all the devices or components that make up a computer. If you’ve ever opened the case of a computer or laptop, you’ve probably found many components inside, such as the microprocessor (CPU), memory, and hard disk. A computer is not a simple device, but a system made up of multiple devices. The basic components of a typical computer system include the following components.
· Central processing Unit (CPU) : This is an important part of the computer that is responsible for actually performing all the tasks defined in the program.
· Main memory (RAM) : This is the area of the computer that holds programs (being executed or run) and the data the programs are processing. All programs and data stored in RAM are lost when you turn off the computer or unplug it from the wall outlet.
· Main memory (ROM) : ROM is a special type of memory that can only be read (but cannot be changed) by a computer. All programs and data stored in ROM are not lost when the computer is turned off. ROM usually contains manufacturer’s instructions as well as programs called booters, which are responsible for starting the computer system when power is turned on.
· Secondary storage: Usually hard disks, sometimes (but rarely) CD/DVD drives. In contrast to main memory (RAM), this type of memory can hold data for a long time even if the computer is powered down. However, programs stored in this memory cannot be executed directly and must first be moved to faster memory, known as main memory (RAM).
· Input devices: Input devices refer to all devices that collect data from outside the computer and input it to the computer for processing. The keyboard, mouse and microphone are input devices.
· Output device: Output device refers to all devices that output data to the outside of the computer. Monitors (screens) and printers are output devices.
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● What is software
Everything a computer does is controlled by software. Software falls into two categories: system software and application software.
· System software is the program that controls and manages the basic operations of a computer. For example, system software controls the internal operations of a computer. It manages all connected devices, saves data, loads data, and allows the execution of other programs. The three main types of system software are as follows:
· Operating system. For example, Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS.
· Practical software. Such software is usually installed with the operating system to make the computer run as efficiently as possible. Antivirus and backup tools are considered utility software.
· Device driver software. Device drivers control devices connected to a computer, such as a mouse or video card. Device drivers act like translators, translating the instructions of the operating system into instructions that the device can actually understand.
· Application software refers to all other programs used to perform everyday tasks, such as browsers, word processors, notepads, games, etc.
● How the computer executes (runs) programs When you turn on the computer, the main memory (RAM) is empty. The first thing a computer does is load the operating system from its hard disk into main memory (RAM).
After the operating system is loaded into main memory (RAM), it can execute (run) any program (application software) you wish to run. This is usually done by clicking, double-clicking, or tapping the corresponding icon of the program. For example, suppose you click on the icon of your favorite video game. This action commands your computer to load (or copy) the video game from your hard drive into main memory (RAM) so that the CPU can execute it.
** Please remember! Programs are stored on secondary storage devices, such as hard disks. When you install a program on your computer, it is copied to your hard disk. When we execute a program, the program is copied (loaded) from the hard disk into main memory (RAM), and a copy of the program is executed.
● Compilers and interpreters
A computer can only execute programs written in a strictly defined computer language. You cannot program in natural languages, such as English or Greek, because your computer cannot understand them!
But what language can a computer actually understand? Computers can understand special low-level languages called machine languages. In machine language, all statements (or commands) consist of zeros and ones. The following example program calculates the sum of two numbers, written in machine language:
10010 0001 0000 0100 20001 0001 0000 0101 30011 0001 0000 0110 40111 0000 0000 0001 Don’t worry, you don’t program like this. Hopefully no one will ever program a computer this way again. Today, all programmers write programs in “high-level languages” and then use special programs to translate them into machine language.
Programmers use two types of programs to perform language translations: compilers and interpreters.
A compiler is a program that translates statements written in a high-level language into a separate machine language program that can then be executed at any time. Once the translation has been performed, the compiler does not need to translate the program again.
An interpreter is a program that simultaneously translates and executes statements written in a high-level language. As the interpreter reads each individual statement in the program, it translates it into machine language code and then executes it directly. Repeat this process for each statement in the program.
● What is source code
Statements (instructions or commands) written by programmers in a high-level language are called source code or code for short. The programmer first enters the source code into a program called a code editor, and then either uses a compiler to translate it into a machine language program, or uses an interpreter to translate and execute it simultaneously.
Review questions: True or false
Determine whether the following statements are true or false. 1. Modern computers can perform many different tasks because they have many gigabytes of RAM. 2. A computer can run without a program. 3. A hard disk is hardware. 4. Even without electricity, data can be stored in main memory (RAM) for a long time. 5. Data is stored in main memory (ROM), but programs are not. 6. The speaker is the output device. Windows and Linux are software. 8. Device drivers are hardware. 9. Media player is system software. 10. When you turn on your computer, the main memory (RAM) already contains the operating system. 11. When you open a word processing application, it is actually copied from the secondary storage device into main memory (RAM). 12. In machine language, all statements (commands) are made up of a series of zeros and ones. 13. Today’s computers don’t understand zeros and ones. 14. Today’s software is written in a language of ones and zeros. 15. “Software” means the physical components of a computer. 16. Compilers and interpreters are software. 17. The compiler translates the source code into an executable. 18. The interpreter can create machine language programs. 19. Once the program has been translated, an interpreter is no longer necessary. 20. Source code can be executed by a computer without being compiled or interpreted. 21. Programs written in machine language need to be compiled (translated).
Teenagers learning Python
[CH] Aristides S. Bouras
This book is suitable for children over 10 years old. It is also suitable for parents as a parent-child reading course. This book is the author of many years engaged in programming teaching experience condensation. The book emphasizes the importance of algorithmic thinking over learning to code. Algorithmic thinking is a process related to problem solving. Algorithmic thinking is a necessary learning and training to teach computational and algorithmic thinking, and to learn and master programming skills. This book is designed to help children over 10 years old, parents, and other students and teachers learn to program in Python, a popular language, with rich illustrations, more than 100 answer questions and more than 200 practice questions, more than 250 judgments, and more than 100 multiple choice questions.
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